Skaters option to change coaches | Golden Skate

Skaters option to change coaches

millie

Medalist
Joined
Nov 1, 2004
Why are so many fans so interested and get so upset when a skater changes coaches? I think that if a skater hires a coach to coach them and they are not pleased with that coach, it is their option to go to someone else. Coaches are not doing this for free or out of the goodness of their heart, they are being paid big$$$$$ for their service. If you weren't pleased with a service or their work, you would get rid of them also. Some skaters stay with their coaches forever ,because they are happy with them, other change because they are not happy. In my opinion, if a skater changes coaches, that's their decision and nobody elses. SKATERS ARE HUMAN TOO. Enjoy the skating and the skaters and not worry about the coaches.
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Fans get upset when we perceive skaters' decisions as impulsive and not well thought out. In most cases, coach changes are justified - a skater has learned all he/she can from a teacher, and is ready to move on; personalities didn't jive; etc. Sometimes, though, coaching changes appear to be a result of the "now" mentality of today. A skater just thinks, "Heck, may be my failures are not my fault; may be all I've got to do is hire someone else, and then I'll be the best". This is what gets fans going. Of course, for every coach changing decision there will be those who will see it one was, and others who will see it another.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Millie - I don't know if you were around in Golden Skate when Michelle left Frank to go it alone and then picked up Scott. There were so many anti Kwan posts about her, as Pitchka would say, 'impulsive' decision. And that's what it amounts to. The one thing I have to say about coaches is that none of them teach you to fall. Only a skater falls, and changing a coach is not going to help unless the skater is willing to follow the new coach's advice. Apparently MK is listening to RA. The speed, the correct take off, the height, are all in sync, so the landing works. In the case of Sasha, I think Nicks can give her the same corrective criticism and get the same results. Let's see.

Joe
 

ChiSk8Fan

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 7, 2004
Changing coaches is news

In the world of professional and marquis sports, amateur sport, college sport, etc., this type of reporting and subsequent discussion is part of the mainstay elements of sporting news. Coaching changes, manager changes, hirings, firings, contract negotiations, labor disputes, etc., are a routine part of the sporting news.

Skaters and their coaches are teams preparing for big competitions. Changes are news. Avid interest and intense discussion afterwards are routine and the basis of the entertainment and news programs and media coverage for sport.
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Good question. For the most part, I think people worry a coaching change may not bring the results the skater is hoping for and may even change their favorite skaters technique they have grown accustomed to. Just a theory. There is no harm in a skaters' choice to change coaches. After all, from the time a skater starts at the beginners level they may have two or three different coaches by the time they reach the Sr. level.

Of course, there are many skaters who stick with the same coach their entire competitive career, because they are comfortable with the coach, have good communication and trust their coaches' teaching methods.

With all the big changes in figure skating over the years, I have notice though that many skaters now prefer to change coaches every now and then and not only their coach, but where they train. Jeff Buttle, for example, is training down in California, I beleive. Our dance pair team of D&L are training in France. One could ask what is wrong with training here in Canada? I guess they feel a need to grow. So really there is no reason for fans to lament when a skater decides to change coaches; it's the results that count. Sometimes it gives a skater a new look at their skating as well. Different set of eyes to see what they are doing or not doing.

Really, in the end, it's the skaters choice.
 

Linny

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Some work, some don't

Some coaching changes work, some don't. Sizuka Arakawa moved to TT and became World Champion. Fumie moved (who is her new coach?) but she still consults with Mr. Sato... sadly, she seems to be in a slump.

Tim Goebel changed to Frank Carolle and did ok, but methinks he's better with Audrey. Mike Weiss left Audrey for Don Laws... but he was already on a downward spiral. Don couldn't help.

Guess people get up in arms about coaching changes because it sometimes means that the coach who labored in the trenches, teaching a young skater the basics, working through hormones and growth spurts, parents, expectations, getting up early to grab ice time... that coach doesn't get the credit when the skater hits it big.

Instead, the big names like Frank Carolle, Tatiana Tarosova, etc, get famous for grooming world and Olympic champions. The club of esteemed coaches is too exclusive.

One other note to the poster who mentioned that "If you weren't pleased with a service or their work, you would get rid of them also"... a good coach-student relationship isn't like the relationship that you have with the housekeeper or the wait person or the mail carrier. Coaching goes far beyond merely providing a service. It literally helps to shape who the skater becomes as a person. If there's one profession that doesn't get enough credit in this society, it's the teaching profession. That goes for teachers in the traditional classroom as well as those who teach/coach sports. We ought to elevate these people to esteemed status, not simply expect them to provide a service.

And probably, we ought to extent some respect to the housekeepers, wait people and mail carriers in the world, too.

Linny
 

brad640

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Sometimes fans get mad because they are fans of the coach as well as the skater. Many fans were hoping that in 2002 Frank would finally have his Olympic champion after coming close before (Trennary) and dealing with talented pupils who did not respect him (Bowman). Many were outraged at Kwan because they felt Frank deserved better after all he had done for her and for the sport.

It was similar when Oksana went off the deep end after her gold medal. Many fans turned on her because of the way she treated Galina Zmievskaya, who was as beloved as Oksana and Viktor to many fans. When Oksana left Galina many fans felt she was ungrateful and brought on herself the downward spiral that followed.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Trennary? how about Frattiane (sp) ??? Wasn't she more hyped than Jill ever was?
 

RealtorGal

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Until I start signing the coach's paychecks and devoting 5-6 hours a day to my career as a competitive figure skater, I'll refrain from criticizing anyone's decision to change to a different coach. :)
 

brad640

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Tonichelle said:
Trennary? how about Frattiane (sp) ??? Wasn't she more hyped than Jill ever was?

Thanks for correcting! Trenary was coached by Carlo Fassi.
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
To my recollection, Brian Boitano is the only skater that stayed with a single coach his entire career - start to present, he's been with Linda Leaver. I think he literally has not had any other official coach, whereas many started with a much lesser known coach before changing to an elite coach.

I could be totally wrong. I do know that MK had someone before Frank and that Tara had someone before RC.
 

elingrace4eva

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
One of the most integral parts of figure skating is that you need to click with your coach. If they don't understand you or your goals, it's not going to be a succesful partnership. But, then again, it sometimes seems as if skaters don't give their coaches enough time to try and understand them...and that's where the criticism comes in.
 

backspin

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 30, 2003
The coach/skater relationship is an intricate one. Yes, you are hiring them---to be your authority figure, tell you what to do, be critical and push you past what you thought you could do. So it's weird.......not your normal employer/employee set up. You pay the bills, but they tell you what to do. If they're good at it, you're very happy to have it that way.
 

thisthingcalledlove

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 24, 2003
millie said:
Why are so many fans so interested and get so upset when a skater changes coaches? I think that if a skater hires a coach to coach them and they are not pleased with that coach, it is their option to go to someone else. Coaches are not doing this for free or out of the goodness of their heart, they are being paid big$$$$$ for their service. If you weren't pleased with a service or their work, you would get rid of them also. Some skaters stay with their coaches forever ,because they are happy with them, other change because they are not happy. In my opinion, if a skater changes coaches, that's their decision and nobody elses. SKATERS ARE HUMAN TOO. Enjoy the skating and the skaters and not worry about the coaches.

Yeah, I agree. It's the skater's perogative if they want to switch coaches or not. It's like a marriage. If a marriage isn't working, it's a disservice to both people if they stay and are unhappy.
 

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Country
United-States
Can someone explain the comments made at Nationals about Frank C. firing Tim, please.

Dee
 

jesslily

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Most time it's easier to get along for opposite sex coach-skater relationship. Yagudin and TT, Brian Boitano and Linda Beaver, Michelle Kwan and Frank Carrol, Sasha and Mr. Nicks. Michelle seems always takes from male coach. Young lady skaters and lady coaches are hard to keep the relationship for long period.

I don't believe that Frank fired Tim. Frank sent him to Audrey W. to get quad back. Tim felt good working with her and decided to switch. This is what Tim said to an interview before the nationals.
 

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Country
United-States
Thanks Jesslily for the explanation. I thought I missed something when they made such an issue of it at Nationals. The media......... :mad: :sheesh: :sheesh:

Dee
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
jesslily said:
Most time it's easier to get along for opposite sex coach-skater relationship. Yagudin and TT, Brian Boitano and Linda Beaver, Michelle Kwan and Frank Carrol, Sasha and Mr. Nicks. Michelle seems always takes from male coach. Young lady skaters and lady coaches are hard to keep the relationship for long period.
I disagree. Some opposite examples are:
Plushenko & Mishin
Slutskaya & Gromova
Hughes & Wagner
Baiul & Zmievskaya
Yamaguchi & Ness
"German girls" (Witt, Seyfert, etc.) & Mueller
 

gezando

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
Same sex students and coach pariing:
Kristi and Ness
BeBe and Tiffany Chin
Sarah and Robin
Yukina Ota and her coach
Midori Ito, Onda, the Asada sisters and their coach
Irina and her coach
Oksana and Galina
Oksana and Linuchuk
Arkawa and TT, and Mrs. Kumiko Sato
Ando and Mrs. Kumiko Sato
Ondo and Weissiger

I think it all depends on the availability of the coaches, and how many ladies and men skaters are in need of a coach. What are the male to female ratio of top level coaches, and what are the male to female ratio of top skaters.

About Cohen and Nicks, she left him, he did not fire her, and she approached Audrey Weissiger twice , once before Audrey took on Tim, and once after Audrey took on Tim, and after she was turned down, then she returned to NIcks.
 
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